Murder charges against LaVerkin man dropped

Officials discover alleged victim still alive

11:25 PM,
Oct. 9, 2013

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A LaVerkin man originally jailed on suspicion of aggravated murder had his charges dropped to aggravated assault Wednesday after officials determined the victim had not died.

John Stettler Stucki, 54, was booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility at 11:28 p.m. after an alleged altercation with a second man, and was originally booked on aggravated murder after police were told by hospital officials that the victim's death was "imminent," LaVerkin Police Chief Lloyd Watkins said. But the murder charge was changed sometime after 2 p.m. to aggravated assault, when the victim had still ...